Sunday 06/01/25

Title: What are good works?

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What are good works?

Well we started off addressing the Renewing of the Mind a little over a month back and in our studies we discovered a not-so-obvious connection between renewing the mind, deepening in our personal knowledge and experience of the Love of God and the ministry work all believers are to be engaged in. 

We mostly drew from the writings of Peter and Paul. Two very different men in terms of temperament and ministry, but both perfectly in step and agreement in doctrine.

Paul stresses the need for the renewing of the mind and setting our thoughts on spiritual things rather than being preoccupied with the affairs of this life. 

Peter encourages us to prepare our lives for the inevitable spiritual battles we have by assuming the mindset Jesus possessed especially in times of temptation and suffering. Such thinking, Peter told us, would lead to victory over the flesh in regard to sin.

Then Peter pressed the need for loving our fellow Christian with fervor and devotion, something which Paul also had stressed in regard to overcoming the flesh. 

They both in 1 Peter 4 and 1 Corinthians 12-14 – stressed the need to be good stewards of the grace gifts God has given each one of us and that part of our command to love our brothers and sisters in Christ required that we ministered spiritual gifts towards one another.

It was due to this that we began looking at spiritual gifts, ministries and operations of the Spirit beginning with those listed in 1 Corinthians 12.

Paul tells the believers in Ephesus that equipping the saints for this ministry work was something God ordained to be accomplished in His church through the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor-teacher and so on.

These people, given as gifts to the body, help mature the saints into Jesus’ image. In addition to this they train and equip the saints for ministry work.

They WAY they do this is by skillfully handling and teaching the Word of God!

We read in 2 Timothy 3:14-17 that God’s word is powerful to establish us in sound doctrine, to correct us and thoroughly outfit us for every good work – of course one of those good works is being a good and faithful steward over the spiritual gifts the Spirit has given you.

However there are many more good works and that has been our focus since last week.

What are good works and what do they have to do with Christ being formed in us and doing ministry work?

Simply put, good works are any work that exemplifies the character of Christ Jesus. This MUST start with a life lived in submission to His lordship which in turn is directly connected to our love for Him. Jesus Himself said, “by this I know that you love Me, when you have and habitually keep My commandments.”  

Once we are living like Christ or put another way, to the degree that we are living like Christ we become a solid and faithful living witness of Him before our brothers and sisters in Christ FIRST and secondly before the onlooking world.

The most effective ministry you will ever do is living Jesus before others. That makes you a light that shines giving spiritual light to all around you or within your sphere of God given influence. It also makes you salt, which generates thirst in those not yet thirst for God, and seasoning to make His words something they grow to long for. 

So yeah, spiritual gifts are great, but love is greater. We are to pursue love and yet, not forget to desire spiritual gifts so that our siblings in Christ might be edified.

Like Paul who said, “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established” – Romans 1:11. That is NOT just something Paul did, it is something ALL of God’s children are called and commissioned to do. A good work we are to accomplish. It is one of the good works God the Father prepared before we were born again that we should walk in and be zealous for.

Like it says in Colossians 3:14-17,

“(14) But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.  (15)  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.  

(16)  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  

(17)  And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

So are you ready to dive into learning more about good works?

Now, don’t forget that many miss the supernatural looking for the spectacular. Good works are things we do in our everyday which are like Christ or said more specifically are in accordance with His word regarding us.

Good works for men, women, children and teachers:

Titus 2:1-15,

“(1) But you must speak what is consistent with sound teaching.  

Now that command is true for ALL of God’s children, but in context this was a word of encouragement from Paul to Timothy. Paul was about to give Titus a list of “good works” which those in the churches of Crete should busy themselves with and he starts with the older men.

“(2)  Older men are to be temperate, worthy of respect, sensible, and sound in faith, love, and endurance.”

What does that look like?

• Well temperate obviously means they don’t fly off the handle. They’re sober. Level headed. They aren’t easily provoked to anger, or argument, or self defense.
• All of this goes a long way towards the second thing which is being worthy of respect. Other words for “worthy of respect” are dignified, honorable, sincere and serious. A man who could do anything, but limits himself so as to be gentle, considerate, loving, fun, yet knows when enough is enough, is firm, decisive, one who takes action but is not quick to judge others is someone “worthy of respect”.
• Sensible means self controlled. They use sound judgement. They do not over indulge in anything, but are controlled and moderate and temperate. Regarding things they are free to do they are self-disciplined and self-restrained. They are not led about by their passions and desires.
• Sound in faith, means pure and clear regarding Christian doctrine and life.
• Sound in love, means pure and clear in their devotion to their fellow Christian. They are true to them and are a sure shoulder for them.
• Sound in endurance, means they are not impetuous nor impatient. They are steadfast and bear up under adverse circumstances. They do not easily loose hope.

These last three have much in common with the ending of 1 Corinthians 13 which says, “Now there remains Faith, Hope & Love these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

“(3) Older women likewise are to exhibit behavior fitting for those who are holy, not slandering, not slaves to excessive drinking, but teaching what is good.  (4)  In this way they will train the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children,  (5)  to be self-controlled, pure, fulfilling their duties at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the message of God may not be discredited.”

What does THAT look like?

• Holy in behavior, means someone who is set apart and different than what is common among the lost. It means venerable – as in someone worthy of great respect.
• not slanderers, means not someone who falsely accuses or misrepresents. This Greek word is diábolos, a name used for satan who is the false accuser.
• not addicted to much wine, this one is obvious. It does not deny or even discourage the enjoyment of alcohol, only the misuse or need of it.
• teaching and encourage the young women what is good. Means to teach by way of example and words both. 
• What are they to encourage and teach? 

“In this way they will train the younger women to… 

• love their husbands, This means something much different than you might think. It is NOT the word agape, but the word philandros which is more focused upon loving as a friend and companion.
• to love their children, this is yet another word philóteknos and put most simply it means fondness for your children expressed maturnally. Much of motherly love today is too much in any one direction. It is either too smothering, or too much like trying to be their friends, or doing too much for them in order to solicit love and approval back from them. Much of this is really self-love. It is giving in order to get. True maternal love, cherishes without being needy, nurtures without smothering, cares for without doing everything for them, being a source of comfort without indulging them, encouraging without pushing or trying to live your life through them. It has a friendship component to it, but which is always held in check by parental dignity and is empowered by her clear respect for the authority of her husband.
• to be self-controlled, means sane, safe, moderate and discreet. She is not boisterous, does not make herself the center of attention, she dresses with modesty, dignity and propriety. She adorns her husband without detracting focus away from him. It is the opposite of nearly all womanly values held today in greater society.
• pure, means chaste and moderate in heart and action. Not flirtatious with men other than her husband. Not attention mongering, flamboyant or flashy.  
• fulfilling their duties at home, is the Greek word oikourós and means a keeper and manager of the home. One who looks after domestic affairs with prudence. Much of this is illustrated in the actions of the godly woman described in Proverbs 31.
• kind, this is an interesting word and reveals a degradation of our society in a very clear way. Today “kind” just means NOT being mean, or harsh or abrupt, though it may also mean doing something nice for someone. But this word translated kind means to be proactively good towards others. Good in respect to actions for or influence upon others. It means to be useful, beneficial and profitable to them.
• being subject to their own husbands, well we are all very familiar with the word subject here. It is the word huppotasso. By using this word it actually communicates a lot. It means to voluntarily place yourself under another in an orderly fashion as if further described in Galatians 3:28; 1 Peter 3:7. 

What this is NOT is an ontological statement of value or equality. Both man and woman bear the image and dignity of God. What women are are told to do at home with their fathers and in marriage with their husbands is to subjugate themselves. This is NOT a command to men to humble their women and force their submission. If it is not willing and voluntary it is not an example of this word  huppotasso. 

This subjugation is NOT properly like a slave to an owner, an employee to an employer or even a child to a parent. These illustrate a lesser to a greater and therefore would not be this word. Eve was MADE for Adam not the other way about. She was created to help him, not he her. She is to acclimate herself unto her own husband in a way which befits him. SHe is to honor him, respect him and obey him. One of the ways she is a helper is to offer him counsel which if he is wise he will prayerfully consider. But in the end, if she fulfills this requirement of a woman, she will whole-heartedly support him in his decision unless it is immoral or contrary to scripture because before her submission to him is her submission to God.

And why is all of this SO important for the Older women to do and teach the yonder women?

“…so that the message of God may not be discredited”

A godly marriage is the clearest example of God before an onlooking world and very little will sabotage it so completely as a woman who does not submit to her husband.

The relationship a woman has with her covering is one of helping. If she misrepresents him she is working against the solidarity of their home and marriage, she is a divisive agent before their children and in the end being used by the enemy in the division of their home. You could not be any less feminine than doing things like this.

“(6)  Likewise, encourage the young men to be sensible  (7)  about everything. Set an example of good works yourself, with integrity and dignity in your teaching.  (8)  Your message is to be sound beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be ashamed, having nothing bad to say about us.”  

Now it should be understood that the young man is an older man in training, so while this list may seem small, its requirements are stringent and point to the development of greater things.

• Sensible about everything, it is the same word used for older women and which is at the top of their list as well. It means sane, safe, moderate and discreet. Level headed, sound in judgment, not given to wild fancies or acts of unrestrained passion. It does NOT mean passionless. It simply means that in areas of passion he shows himself moderate and reserved.
• Set an example of good works yourself, with integrity and dignity in your teaching. This is a LOT of words. The young man is to exemplify the good works we learn of throughout scripture and to live them before a watching world with integrity and dignity. In a way which is different than the wife, a young man represents his father and home and so by extension is a builder or destroyer of the family name. What he does matters and it speaks to the leadership and guidance of his father and mother.
• Young men are encouraged to be disseminators of truth in word and action. Therefore it is important that the message they convey is solid and unable to be gainsayed. Their lives should be such that onlookers can’t find anything bad to say about them.

Next are slaves or servants. Now  you might ask, why did he skip over the things expected of young women? He didn’t. They are to be students of the older women and put into practice what they teach and live before them.

“(9)  Slaves are to be submissive to their masters in everything, and to be well-pleasing, not talking back  (10)  or stealing, but demonstrating utter faithfulness, so that they may adorn the teaching of God our Savior in everything.”

The word slave here means just that but touches on a broader audience. In Rome there were those who were made slaves due to subjugation through conquering. Some were born into slavery. Others still sold themselves into slavery to satisfy a debt. Regardless of the means, it is someone who is subject to another and are not free-willed individuals. Though the commands here might just as well fit an employee, it does not have such a relationship in view.

• submissive to their masters in everything, this carries a meaning very similar to that of a wife with her husband. It does NOT require the slave do wrong if so commanded, but in matters of everyday things, they are to honor their masters and obey them with respect and honor. 
• well-pleasing, essentially means to do what you are asked. Accomplish the tasks given in a way which honors their desires.
• not talking back this is self explanatory as is  not stealing
• demonstrating utter faithfulness, means looking out for the interests of their master. It goes along with not stealing. If something is done which undermines the desires or integrity of their master’s home or business they do what they can to make it right or at least inform their master of it.

Notice the reason why these things are done…

“so that they may adorn the teaching of God our Savior in everything.”

This passage wraps up with a statement about God’s grace – what it is, what it teaches and what it accomplishes in those who surrender to it – which is ‘good works’.

“(11)  For the grace of God has appeared, with salvation for all people,  (12)  instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age,  (13)  while we wait for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.  

(14)  He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a special people, eager to do good works.  

(15)  Say these things, and encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.”

If we know these things such as what we were designed for as male and female, as children of our parents, as marriage partners, as employers and employees. As masters and slaves. Then we have the knowledge necessary to extrapolate from that, what to do and how to behave in nearly any given situation in a way which demonstrates – ‘good works’!

Blessings!

Tri